-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Given the frequent call drops we should perhaps have per second based pricing." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Bureau New Delhi, Dec. 12 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday said that it was looking to move towards a tariff regime where mobile operators charge on a per second basis instead of the current practice of charging every minute. If this is implemented it will result in huge savings for mobile users who currently have to pay for an entire minute even if they talked for just 30 seconds. All the operators at present charge on a per minute basis, which means that each time a user dials he will have to necessarily pay for the entire minute. This system of charging proves to be particularly expensive given the number of times the call drops specially in metros such as Delhi and Mumbai. The telecom regulator said that though mobile tariffs are under forbearance it will have to look at a per second pulse rate due to the operators not addressing the issue of calls dropping. "Consumers must get what they pay for. Given the frequent call drops we should perhaps have per second based pricing," said Mr Nripendra Misra, Chairman, TRAI, on the sidelines of the India Telecom Summit 2008. Mr Misra also urged the operators to cut SMS charges. "I urge telecom companies to keep in mind the principle of forbearance. But forbearance has not been followed at times. I tell companies, please listen to our persuasion. The request on SMS has been pending with them for a year," he said. Operators currently charge at the rate of Rs 1.20 per message. However, according to industry analysts, there is no cost accruing to the operator in providing this service. The regulator said that the operators should respond within a week by cutting SMS rates. Mobile operators said that the TRAI intervention was not necessary given that tariffs are being determined through the market mechanism. "I do not think TRAI needs to prescribe any new tariffs. We are already offering the lowest tariffs in the world. There are nearly 7-8 operators in each circle which makes it really competitive," said Mr T.V. Ramachandran, Director-General, Cellular Operators Association of India. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121352010100.htm I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What, Why, When, How, Where and Who. -- Rudyard Kipling --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Kences1" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/kences1?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
